I Don't Want to Be
by viviki
Summary: Sometimes being yourself is the way to go.


"Um, Liberty? Liberty? Liberty! Is something wrong? Hello! Homie! Liberty. Li-BER-ty!"

Liberty Van Zandt was too entranced to hear anything. Her eyes stayed glued to the masculine figure approaching her. Tall, confident, cap tilted to the side. Buttoned down shirt opened to reveal a wifebeater that hugged his body. _Okay, it has only been a week but darnit, he looks so handsome!_

Liberty broke into a run.

J.T. Yorke stopped and started laughing. _That's my Liberty. Always the dramatic one._

THEME SONG

"Oh sure, Liberty. Of course I'll close your locker and for a treat I'll even lock it for you. What? Oh, you don't have to thank me. That's what homies do for each other, right? Help close the locker for a friend that simply ignored her while running towards her boyfriend that just been away for only 1 week!"

McKenzie Wright slammed the locker and glanced to her left and right. She sighed. _I really have to stop talking to myself…out loud._ McKenzie turned around and faced Liberty and J.T. who, to her, looked like one of those movies that in slow motion looked so cheesy but in real life looked so cute. Shaking her head, she leaned against her locker and stared on at the couple. _This should be good_.

Liberty, while still running, heard a snippet of what McKenzie was blabbing. Liberty could not care less. _Ok, granted, I did observe JT before he left but a seven day separation is much too long for me_. She jumped into J.T.'s opening arms and squealed with delight as he was spinning her around.

"Spare me, _kiddies_!"

J.T. and Liberty laughed. It was the one and only Paige. _Her and her phrases_, thought Liberty.

Finally, J.T. slowly put Liberty down and kissed her sweetly on her nose, an affection they like to give towards each other.

"You do realize that we've only been apart for bout a week, right?" J.T. brushed lint off Liberty's striped shirt. He teasingly smiled. "Still with the striped shirts, I see?"

Liberty did not get the joke. She stepped back. "First question…answer: I know it has been a week but I am allowed to show you that I did miss you while you were at your excursion, correct? Second question…answer: Excuse me?"

_Uh-oh. Here we go._ J.T. glanced around him. Students practically stopped what they were doing to look on at the couple. It still boggles his mind how they became Degrassi's super couple despite the fact that they are in 10th grade. _The attention is nice but I need my privacy with my girl._

"C'mon." He grabbed Liberty's hand and dragged her off.

"J.T.? James Tiberiaus Yorke, I am practically sliding on this floor. And I would like to know why you felt to take a dig on my shirt what compelled you? I did not know it was affecting how you go on with your life I am sorry but I like these striped shirts and I honestly thought you did, too because hello, the shirt is worn by me, your girlfriend who I assumed you will like…"

J.T. stopped her with a breath-taking kiss. Liberty was caught off guard at first, but relaxed and more into it, she put her arms around his waist and let the kiss go on forever. Until she could not breathe.

"Whoa…whoa…wow!" Liberty stared into his eyes and smiled. She pulled away to straightened herself and realized they were in the music room.

"How did we arrive here, my race car?"

"By you rambling and my dragging you 100mph."

Liberty blushed and looked down. "I apologize. It's just that earlier this morning Kenzie commented on my shirt. And before that, my dad actually opened his mouth and made a comment as well."

"Your dad?"

"My father." Liberty stretched out her shirt and while looking at it continued. "Then you came and said the same thing. It frustrated me. I mean, I'm aware that I do not obtain a degree in Great Sense of Style but I know I can not be that bad."

J.T. quickly hugged Liberty. They parted. J.T. held her hands and stared into her eyes. "Of course you're not. Sweetie, I love your style. Always did. Actually more like, I respected your style back then but I love it now. I just want you to spice up your wardrobe. You have an amazing body and it's always covered in stars and stripes-ow!" Liberty playfully punched him on the shoulder. "And I want the world to see what I see."

"Technically, you have never seen my 'amazing body'." Liberty grinned.

"Oh, but dreams can come true, my dear." J.T. laughed but it slowly faded with a concern on his face. "You get my drift?"

Liberty sighed. "Affirmative." J.T. smiled. "But…."

"Oh God…"

"No, no, it's not that bad of a 'but'. Just wanted to say that don't expect a "Manny". I have to think about this and be comfortable with it. Okay?"

J.T. looked at her with a knowing look. "You just don't like the attention."

"Well, like duh!"

J.T. feigned him being shocked. "Oh my word. Did Liberty just say, 'like duh'? I am shocked."

Liberty played with J.T.'s collar. "Only you bring out the valley girl in me. Now be quiet and kiss me."

J.T. obeyed.

NEXT SCENE

"Wanna-be sighting." Giggles followed.

McKenzie sighed. _Do I have to endure this every freaking day?_ She turned around and was faced by Paige, Hazel and - uh?

"Alex? What the hell are you doing with them?

Paige rolled her eyes. "Hon, that's none of your bee-wax."

McKenzie folded her arms across her chest and leaned against her locker.

"Flunky sighting." She stared at Alex who looked away. McKenzie turned to Paige. "Why do you insist on bothering me every single day? I said my bad already bout Spinner…and Matt…and your friends…and your waning popularity…I could stop, y'know? You just gotta tell me."

Paige smirked and stepped up to McKenzie's face. "Hon, please." I could care less about you…"

"Could've fooled me."

"—and what you think. I just saw a weak little prey and decided to devour it."

"Paige. Paige. Paige." McKenzie put a hand on Paige's shoulder. Paige brushed it off. "Ever since I stepped foot into this school you haven't let me be. It's time to let go and find some other prey for you to devour. Because obviously this _prey_ ain't takingcrap from _you_. Gotta do a better job,….dammit, what's that word you always use….um,….hon? That's it, right? Okay…hon."

McKenzie gathers her books from her locker and closes it. She looks at the three of them. "Ya'll gonna be late for class. And with that, I'm out." She walks away.

Paige stood there, dumbfounded. She slowly looks at Alex and Hazel, who both found their fingernails to be quite exciting right now.

"Ughh!" Paige stalked away.

Alex and Hazel looked at each other. They both shrugged and followed her.


End file.
